OxfordSpeak

15/06/2023

CALLING ALL KID ENTREPRENEURS! -- Oxford Community Market is hosting our first ever OXCM Mini Market for kids to give young entrepreneurs and creatives the opportunity to see what it's like to sell at their local farmers market! Do you make, bake, or grow anything that you'd like share with others? If so, our Mini Market is just the place for you to sell your creations! We will have this special Mini Market for enterprising kids on July 11th at our regular “big” market and it’s FREE and open for all kid entrepreneurs!! The registration form to sign up can be found at: https://forms.gle/VRempatcuniqmaRk8. We can’t wait to see you at the OXCM Mini Market! We will also have a special kids cooking demo by our Kids Volunteer Leader Chloe!!

Date : July 11, 2023
Time: 3:00-6:30 p.m.
Address: OXCM~Old Armory Pavilion
1801 University Pavilion

13/05/2023

17/11/2022

06/11/2022

I knew the Mississippi was low in Memphis, but I had no idea it was this bad.

The river known for its vast reach and powerful currents has withered to levels not seen in decades, choking shipping lanes and endangering drinking water supplies.

28/10/2022

Tomorrow's A Hallowed Hopewell has been canceled. Here is the information from organizers: "We are so sad to announce that we have decided to cancel A Hallowed Hopewell due to heavy rain on the forecast all day tomorrow. Please help us spread the word, and we hope you'll plan to join us next year!! Have a Happy Halloween!"

02/10/2022

I was so sad about my last gallon of Brown’s last week… until I saw this news!

This is probably gonna be a long post so just bare with me please. After we announced the Dairy was shutting down I had more phone calls and texts than I would have ever imagined. Some actually made me cry. And I’m greatful to all of those who reached out to us.

But honestly they way things were going it was just not working. Inputs are higher now than I’ve ever seen them. We were running close to a thousand miles a week trying to deliver milk to stores, some very far away. With gas prices being what they are now it was not penciling out. And it obviously wasn’t just the gas , it was many factors. Feed prices skyrocketing and basic needs for the dairy all increased in price. Obviously we are not the only family who has been experiencing this. Many many small business owners are going through the same thing right now.

Simply put…… the way we were doing things was not working anymore. We have sold a few cows but still have around 20 that I have still been milking and giving the milk to all these baby calves and the rest to the pigs.

Something just hit me Sunday morning and I got to really thinking about what I could do to still milk a few cows. I had started reading last year about dairies in. New Zeland and Australia who had transitioned to once a day milking and it was working great for them. The main draw back was that it cut milk production up to 20 percent which I thought would be no big deal for us because we aren’t so much worried about production as we are quality. I thought if I could do that , I could be done milking early then have the rest of the day to be in the hayfield or tending to beef cattle . If we only milked 20 cows it would drastically cut down on bottling time as well. I got to thinking if we ONLY sold milk from our farm store and the Hernando farmers market we could possibly make that work .

With encouragement from the entire family we have decided to give it a try. I am a little worried about supply and demand and I’m a little worried at times we may run out of milk for a day or so but I honestly believe we have to keep the cow number to only 20 to 25 to make this thing work. I know already that it will be an inconvenience for some to drive out to the farm or come to the Hernando Farmers Market but that’s honestly the only way I see it can work. But we are gonna give it a try. We don’t want to stop dairy farming and maybe this is a way to continue albeit on a much smaller scale. We thank each of you for your support and encouragement and it really was overwhelming with all the kindness every one has shown over the last week.

So with all that being said our farm store hours are 4-7 Monday through Friday and 1-7 on Saturday. We are closed on Sunday. Our address here at the farm in 943 hwy 334 Oxford. As always I will be on the beautiful Hernando square EVERY single Saturday of the year from 9 until 12.

Thanks again for the encouragement from some many to keep this dream alive. Without you we never would have made it this far. The Brown Family appreciates each of you.

-Billy Ray

20/09/2022

Well, if this just isn’t such sad news about the best milk there ever was.

06/09/2022

After a week with no water service, city officials are hopeful that they will soon be able to lift a boil-water order as well.

23/08/2022

OXFORD • Even without the staccato echo of cadence, there was an air of finality as members of the Ole Miss Pride of the South band marched off their longtime

18/08/2022

It takes a village to run a market! We are grateful to have volunteers Carnen and Jose as part our OXCM village. They deliver our fresh food donations to the Pantry every week. This Tuesday, our market community sent 189 lbs. of produce to Pantry families which reduces food waste, helps our farmers and puts more healthy fresh produce in the hands of our neighbors!

17/08/2022

YES! If a child doesn't know traffic laws and how to cross a street, he/she isn't ready for the privilege of walking to the Square. A few years ago, I was driving up the hill on University Ave into the intersection with Lamar Ave. I slowed down, knowing that intersection is blind until you're almost in it, though I had a green light. When I topped the hill, several kids ran into the street. They looked toward their right, which is not even where oncoming traffic is coming when you step off a curb, but never once looked toward their left in my direction. Had I not slowed down, I would have hit them all. We coexist in a town with college students, some of whom are new to Oxford and the traffic laws of the Square. Please make sure the kids in your life take the extra time to ensure a driver sees them before they cross, even if it is their turn to walk.

14/08/2022

This NPR story references a University of Mississippi alum, Chase McCullum.

Psychologists play a critical role in K-12 schools and there's a clear mismatch between the demographics of school psychologists and the student populations they serve.

14/08/2022

Such a sad loss.

The historic College Hill Presbyterian Church was destroyed in a fire late Saturday night. Located on County Road 102, the fire started at about 11 p.m. The Lafayette County Fire Department responded and was assisted by the Oxford Fire Department. Shawn Bennett, a College Hill resident, got a text f...